Duale praises Ruto on security, says no major terror attack witnessed under his tenure

Speaking in Garissa during the President’s three-day tour of northern Kenya, Duale told the gathering that the country had been stabilised against major external terror incidents.

“In your three and a half years in office, there has been no terror attack of the magnitude of the Garissa University attack, of Westgate, of Dusit. You have stabilised the country from any foreign terror attack,” Duale said.

Duale, however, used the platform to criticise former senior government officials, including former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, linking them to incidents of killings in other parts of the country and accusing them of hypocrisy in their current political posture.

“But those who were our people led by Matiang’i and his boss, were killed here at Tana River. They killed our people at River Yala. Today they say Somalis are their friends. We are not stupid. We read history and we know those who marginalised [us],” Duale said.

He also referenced past terror incidents in the North Eastern region and said individuals he blamed for failures in previous administrations were now “lecturing” the public.

Duale further claimed that a passport office had previously been closed under the former administration, saying its shutdown was directed during Matiang’i’s tenure at the Interior ministry. 

He suggested the current administration had taken steps to improve access to government services in the region, though he did not provide details on whether the office had been reopened or expanded.

On infrastructure, Duale said the Kenya Kwanza administration was making progress on road projects in northern Kenya, accusing the previous government of frustrating efforts to deliver key routes.

He claimed that during Ruto’s time as Deputy President under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the then President instructed Cabinet ministers not to attend donor meetings chaired by Ruto — meetings Duale said were linked to development planning for the region.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta instructed all ministers… not to attend your meetings. He didn’t want the people of Northern Kenya to have this route,” Duale said, adding that sections of the road were now being constructed

Duale did not provide timelines or contract details for the road works.